Railway-signal.



PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

J. WILLIAMS. I RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

QJEN TOR.

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Um'rnn STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JACKSON WVILLIAMS, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF THREE-FOURTI-IS TO W. J. WESTFALL, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, W. A. RAMSEY, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, AND F. IV. MOOLUER, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 718,063, dated January 6, 1903. Application filed August 27, 1902. Serial No. 121,239. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, J AOKSON WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRailway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic railwaysignals which enable the operator in a blocksignal house to be dispensed with and provide for the operation of the signals by the train itself.

My invention consists in a semaphore-signal connected by a cable with a device actuated by the wheels of a passing train, so that when the train passes the semaphore -arms are set and by means of a suitable retarding mechanism they are not allowed to return to safety until a considerable time has elapsed after the passing of the train. Means are also provided by which the signals can be locked at danger for an indefinite time, if desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the track apparatus of my improved signal. Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation ofthe locking device on the line 1 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the semaphore-stand and arms and retarding mechanism. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the retarding mechanism on a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a section of the same on the line 2 3,- Fig. 4..

The track-rails S are laid on ties A, as usual, certain ties A being longer than the others to afford a support for parts of the track apparatus. Just inside of the trackrails is a movable rail Q, secured to two transverse bars K, which are movable lengthwise under the track-rails. The bars are connected by cross-bars J L N U. The ends of the cross-bar J are connected by the pivot-links I t with the plates H h, secured to the levers F f, which are fulcrumed, respectively, at d e to the ties A. A special device is provided for fastening the levers together, so that in case of necessity they will pull out of adjustment, as hereinafter explained.

The levers F f are connected by links D E with a lever O, pivoted to the ties A at a point Z between the points of attachment of the links D E. To the long arm of this lever C is fastened the cable n, which operates the semaphore-arms c m through a crank-plate E and connecting-rodsj o. The semaphorearms are mounted on a stand B, to the top of which is attached a rock-bar w by a link x. Abent lever y is pivoted to one of the semaphore-arms, as m, and has one end engaging with the rock-bar, preferably by means of a pin and slot, as shown, so that when the semaphore-arm is raised to danger the rockbar will also be lifted. A time-limiting device is mounted on the rock-bar, preferably a weight .9, arranged to slide lengthwise of the bar. When the weight is nearest the link w, it is insufficient to hold the semaphore'arm up; but when it is at the outer end of the bar it exerts sufficient pressure on the bent lever to hold the semaphorearms up; but if it is allowed to run down toward the link as its leverage becomes so small that the weight of the semaphore-arms overcomes it and they will then drop. When they are down, the weight runs to the outer end of the rock-bar, and in order to permit it to run out easily and yet retard its return movement toward the link as I have provided the mechanism shown best in Figs. 4 and 5. The bar has a rack meshing with a pinion z, in whose hub are ratchet-teeth engaging with a pawl C on the end of the shaft of the gearwheel D which meshes with a larger gear A When the weight runs out to the end of the bar, the pawl slips over the ratchetteeth,

and the pinion turns freely; but on the inward movement of the weight the pawl catches in the ratchet, and the pinion is compelled to rotate the gears, which causes sufficient friction to retard the movement of the weight, and thus prolong the time during which the weight is able to hold the semaphore-arms at danger. The weight, pinion, and gears are carried in a frame B In order to insure the parallel movement of the rail Q with reference to the track-rails, each end of the rail Q is connected by a link R r with a bell-crank lever P p, pivoted on the bolt on which is a spring Z, tending to hold the cross-bar up to the flange on the plate M, and thus keep the rail Q moved up close to the track-rail. The cross-bar U has a portion a extending outward to the bar L, and a bolt Y passes down through a and L. On the portion a slides a frame W, havinga rod pivoted to a lever V, which is fulcrumed on a pedestal X, standing on the tie A near the end of the plate M. The frame W' offers no opposition ordinarily to the movement of the bars K and the cross-bars L U; but, if desired, the lever V can be drawn back, pulling back the frame, and thus preventing the bars K it; from returning to their normal position, thus keeping the lever O in its dottedline position and the semaphore-arms raised by the pull on the cable.

In case the cable should get caught, so as to put it under excessive strain, I prevent the machine from breaking by providing that the plates H It shall pull out of place. To effect this, theyare secured to the levers F fby clamping-clips G g, bolted to the levers Ff and pivoted to the plates H 71 at F f Under heavy strain they will pull out from under the clips, turning on the pivots, and thus permit the bars K k to move, as usual, without affecting the semaphores.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In arailway-signal, the combination with a rail movable parallel with the track-rail, of bars connected to said movable rail, pivoted levers operated by said bars, a lever connected with said levers, a cable connected to said last-named lever, and a semaphore-arm operated by said cable.

2. In a railwaysignal, the combination with a movable rail lying parallel with the trackrail, of bars transverse to the track and secured to the movable rail, plates pivotally connected with the bars, levers to which said plates are clamped by devices which will give under excessive strains, semaphore-arms, and connecting mechanism between said levers and arms.

3. In arailway-signal, the combination with a rail lying parallel with the track-rail and movable away therefrom, of two bell-crank levers pivoted to a stationary support, a rod connecting said levers, and links connecting said levers with the movablerail.

4. In a railway-signal, semaphore-arms, a rock-bar pivotally supported adjacent thereto, a lever connecting one of the semaphores andthe rock-bar, a weight sliding on said bar, and means for retarding the movement of the weight in one direction.

5. In a railway-signal, semaphore-arms, a rock-bar pivotally supported adjacent thereto, a lever connecting one of said arms with the rock-bar, a weight sliding on the bar, and gears carried by the weight and meshing with a rack on the bar.

6. In a railway-signal, semaphore-arms, a rock-bar pivotally supported adjacent thereto, a lever connecting one of said semaphores with the rock-bar, a weight carrying a pinion meshing with a rack on said bar, gears on the weight, and a ratchet-and-pawl connection between the pinions and the gears.

7. In arailway-signahthe combination with a movable rail, of transverse bars secured thereto, semaphore-arms, intermediate connections between said bars and arms, and a locking mechanism'for holding said bars in operative position at will.

8. In a railway-signal, the combination with the track-rails S, of a parallel movable rail Q, transverse bars K, is, connected by crossbars, levers F, f, plates H, h, clips G, g, clamping said plates to said levers, links I, 2", connecting said bars with said levers, a lever 0, links, D, E, connecting said lever with the first-named levers, semaphore-arms c, m, and a cable a connecting the last-named lever with means for operating said semaphorearms.

9. In a railway-signal, the combination with the track-rails, of a movable parallel rail, bars to which saidrail is secured, a crossbar U having an upright flange, a plate M having an upright flange adjacent to said cross-bar, a spring Z tending to hold said bar and flange together, a portion a on said cross-bar, a bolt Y connecting said portion a and the bars to which the rail is secured, a frame Y movable on the portion (1 and means for moving and holding said frame.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of August, 1902.

JACKSON WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

E. G. MERIWETHER, R. M. WALKER. 

